502 N. Caribe Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85710
(520) 731-4800
FAX – (520) 731-4801
December 2009/January 2010
On November 19, Hudlow celebrated its 50th Birthday! As the night approached, we started hearing from many, many individuals: former staff, parents and students from all the way back to 1959. We had hundreds of folks attend. They stood around tables and looked at old photos and read yellowed newspaper clippings. They remembered a time when girls were not allowed to wear pants and a custodian was allowed to smoke a cigar at school! They walked down the hall to see how their classrooms had changed. Mostly they talked about positive relationships and memories. They reminisced about their favorite teachers and friends. For some these events took place over 35 years ago and they still held a place for Hudlow in their hearts. There were five former principals here that night spanning the last 25 years! Teachers and students connected from 20 years ago. There were laughs and tears. As one former teacher left with tears in her eyes, she said, “I miss my kids!” She was talking about a group of 37 year old kids!
There is a quote that says,
“A
teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
~Henry Brooks Adams
That evening reminded me that memories and traditions are even more important during the holiday season. They create anticipation, strengthening family bonds and, over time, generating a memorable link to the past. Passing down holiday traditions generation after generation is a wonderful way to bring meaning and joy to the season. Even though my three children are in their early 20s, we look forward to our traditions each year. Here are some that my family enjoys:
·
My
mom and dad let my sister Kim and I open one present on Christmas Eve…it was
always a pair of pajamas. I continued that with my own children. They shake the
gift and always pretend they are surprised by saying, “Hmmm I wonder what this
is!”
· My father has given my kids a Christmas ornament each year of their lives. Some are silly, some are ugly and some are simply gorgeous. When we decorate the tree, they each have their own box and as they place each ornament, they reminisce. (Some are so goofy I don’t let them hang on the tree!)
·
My
mom makes a dreaded oyster stuffing. It is awful! However, we all have to put a
few bites on our plate. She teases us that soon, we will have to take over the
tradition of cooking the dreaded oysters.
·
Every year, we get a family gift that is a game. We have quite a collection! We
continue to play
them during holiday breaks. Some of our favorites are Scategories Pictionary,
and Scrabble.
I hope your holiday traditions and celebrations bring you and your family much joy this season!
Cheri
LaRochelle
Principal
Ways to become involved in your Hudlow Community in December:
Attend a Hudlow
Parent/Community Meeting Wednesday, December 2 at 6:30 PM
Attend Monday Flagpole Assemblies Mondays at 8:00 AM
Attend the 5th Grade Band Concert Thursday, December
10 at 1:30 PM
Buy a Hudlow T-shirt for $10.00 Child sizes available in the
office (preorder adult)
Donate a new or nearly new pair of slippers drop off by December 11
Designate Hudlow for your Tax Credit by December 31, 2009
Parent's Guide for Helping
Children Succeed in School
by Jim Fay
1.Love and Logic parents remember that parents can't teach for teachers and teachers can't parent for parents. Remember that teachers and parents can't learn for kids no matter how much we love them.
2.Show
the same amount of love for your children regardless of their success in school.
a. Show sadness rather than anger when they have trouble at school.
3.Expect your children to do their share of the chores at home.
4.Spend some time each day talking with excitement about your work and your day. They will want to imitate you and will soon begin to talk about school and their day.
5.Take turns reading to each other every day.
6.Have your children teach you something they have learned at school. Do this once per week.
7.Provide a time and place for homework. Expect that they will study. Allow them to study either by writing the assignments or thinking hard about them for a reasonable amount of time.
8.Don't pay your children for good grades and don't punish for bad grades. Be excited about the good grades and sad for the children about their bad grades.
9.Expect this Love and Logic program to take about one year before you see good results. Remember that children who have a hard time at school need to get away from it for a while each day. More homework and problems at home about school won't help.
10. Love and Logic parents remember that highly successful people put most of their efforts into their talents and maintain minimal standards on everything else.
Piece
Dear Parents and Families,
Thank you
Hudlow families for supporting some of our fundraisers. We had a great time at
the Hudlow Family Night at Little Anthony’s in November. It was great fun and
good food. Our Sally Foster campaign did not bring in as much as we had hoped.
However we understand that the current economy is taking its toll on all of us.
Thank you for supporting any way you can.
Our new Hudlow T-shirt is in. Child sizes are available in the office for
$10.00. Adult shirts are available for preorder. Come take a look.
Thank you for your continued support in making Hudlow the best it can be. Our
next official PTA meeting has been rescheduled for Wednesday, January 13,
2010.
Hope to see
you then.
Have a Happy Holiday Season!
The
Arizona Tax Credit Program
The Arizona tax
credit program allows you to receive a tax credit of up to $200 for single
individuals or $400 for married couples filing a joint return for your donation
to Hudlow Elementary. You can contribute as little as 10 dollars if you like.
This year, you can use your credit card
to donate online. Just go to our webpage, click on On-Line Tax Credit Form,
and pull down the window to designate Hudlow. The deadline is December 31 at
midnight!
Please don’t
let time slip away. We need your tax credit dollars!
A tax credit is
a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your Arizona income tax liability.
Under this program, you simply allocate a portion of your tax dollars directly
to Hudlow.
Take control of how your tax dollars are spent.
Send up to $400 of your taxes to Hudlow Elementary.
Here are three good reasons
to participate in the Arizona tax credit program:
1. It will cost you nothing.
2. It helps students.
3. It's easy!
Schools
Go Green
What does it mean to Go Green? Hudlow is finding out. We are creating a learning environment that benefits both students and the health of the planet. “Going Green can save large sums of money, reduce a school’s carbon footprint, and teaches children the importance of being environmentally aware.” Small steps like shutting down computers or putting recycling bins in the cafeteria can make a big difference. Turning off lights when we leave a room and using water more conscientiously help, too.
We would like you to be involved:
· Send your child to school with reusable lunch bags.
· Don’t leave cars idling as you wait for the bell to ring.
· Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
We can work as a community to make the world a better place.
We will be exploring this more in 2010!
Site Council Update
The Site Council met on November 16. We reviewed Hudlow’s
School Accountability
Plan.
This is a work in progress. This year our plan has three parts:
1. Love and Logic
2. Green School Initiative
3. Using Enduring Understandings and Essential
Questions
We also discussed future planned expenditures for Fine Arts. We are in the
process of advertising for an orchestra and recorder teacher.